Starting device.



- W. R. DUNKEL.

' STARTING DEVICE. APPLIOATIYON FILED DEO.12,1Q10.

1,004,635. I Patented 0013,1911.

Witnesses Inventor,

Attorpeys.

UNITED STA'lES IfATENT OFFICE.

WILBER R. DUNKEL, OF PANA, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CARTER R. SCROGGIN, OF HARRISTOWN, ILLINOIS.

STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 12, 1910. Serial No. 596.863.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \Vuanzn R. DUNKI-m.

Starting Device, of which the following is i a specification.

This invention relates to internal conibustion engines, and more especially to the mechanical starting devices therefor; and the object of the same is to produce a device of this character by which an automobile can be cranked by the operator while sitting.

in his seat.

To this end the invention consists in the construction hereinafter more fully do scribed-and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein bearing.

- Figure 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the front portion of an automobile equipped with 'myimproved device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the starter itself. Fig. 4 is a section on a line at right angles to the sectionalline in Fig. 3. Fi 5 is a sectional view on theline 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. (3 is an enlarged. detail sectional view on the line ti -6 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the letter A designates broadly an automobile equipped with a gas engine whose crank shaft F projects through the forward end of its hood as usual, and as these engines are now con structed it is necessary to crank the engine in order to start it. This is accom-- plished by the operator who must descend from his seat and go around in front of the machine and turn a hand crank, and their resume his seat. The object. of the present invention is,to permit him to crank the eugine without leaving his seat, and this is accomplished by the detailed construction which I will now describe.

Keyed upon the main shaft F is a wheel 5 having ratchet teeth (3 around. its periphcry and conical ends 7 as best seen in Fig. 3, which ends rotate within bearings 8 formed within a drum, the latter consisting of a cup-shaped body 9 carrying one hear-- ing 8 and a plate 10 threaded as at 11 into mouth of the cup and carrying the other Both thcbottoin of the body 9 and. plate 10 have central openings 12 for the shaft F at either side of the wheel 5. The drum is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as standing in front and outside of the hood but it may be arranged within the same without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The numeral '13 dcsigliates a cable wound around a groove 14 int] c wall of the drum,

. extending thcnce over a pulley Q2, and leading backvard to I manipulating means broadly designated by the numeral 15 but herein shown as consisting of a lever pivoted at 16 within the framework of the automobile and connta'ted at 17 with the cable 13. \Vound reversely around the drum in another groove I-tOisasccond cable 130 which leads .to a retracting device here broadly designated by the numeral .120 and shown as a coiled spring of which one end is attached to the cable and the other to some lixed part of the automobile. Thus it will be seen that when the manipulating means is operated by the driver the drum is turned against the tension of. the retracting means, and when the drivers pressure is removed the retracting means restores the drum to its original position.

Within the wall of the drum is cast: a lug 30 pierced with a threaded hole 31, and through the bottom of the drum passes loosely a screw having a smooth shank 32 and a threaded portion 33 adapted to engage the threaded hole 2.11, and having beyond its threaded portion 33 a reduced tip 34 also smooth. The latter is intended to enter one of a series of holes 35 formed through the plate '10 which' closes the mouth of the drum. and by this means it will be clear that when the screw is loosened and 'witlulrawu slightly its tip is removed from one of the holes 35 and the plate can then be turned in its thread 11 to adjust its bearing 8 tighter or looser upon the cone 7 of the wheel 5.

Pivotally mounted on the smooth portion 33 of the screw is a pawl 4-0 whose tip is adapted to engage the teeth 6 of the wheel 5, and L1. is a spring secured within the drum and bearing said tip normally into engagement therewith. llaterally from said pawl projects a pin 42 passing looselythrough a radial. slot -'.L3 in the bottom of the drum and adapted to make contact with a cam 44- sccured by any suitable means as a bracket 45 ,to some fixed portion of the automobile as best seen in Fig. 3. The obvious purpose of this cam is to disengage the pawl from when the operator moves the manipulating means he rotates the drum and gives a partial rotation to the mam shaft F, and on the return movement of the drum the pin 42 rides up the cam and lifts the tip of the pawl out of engagement with the teeth 6. The fact that the latter are ratchet instead of ordinary teeth permits the shaft to rotate faster than the drum in case the engine should start quickly. As soon as the operator re moves his foot from the pedal or otherwise releases tension upon the operating means, the retracting means restores the parts to their normal positions, as willhe understood. it seems hardly necessary to go further into the details of the operation of this device, more than :to add that in case of back-tire the reversely turning ratchet wheel would carry the pawl and'drum with it only far enough to cause the pin on 'the former to ride up the cam and disengage its tip from the ratchet teeth.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a starting device for .gas engines, the combination. with a ratchet wheel fixed on the engine shaft and having conical ends; of a drum comprising a cup-shaped body having in its bottom a hole for said shaft.- and a hearing face adapted to rest on one ot said ends, and a plate threaded into the mouth of the cup and having a central hole for saidsha-ft and abearing face adapted to rest on the other of said ends. the plate having a series of perforations through it, a

lug; cast within the rim of the body and having a threaded hole, a screw passing through the bottom of said body and screwing through said hole and having a reduced tip engaging one of the perforations in said plate to hold the latter in adjusted position,

- a pawl pivoted on the body of the screw with its tip directed toward said teeth, a spring pressing the tip toward the teeth, manipulating means fordirecting the rotation of the drum in one direction, and re traoting means for normally rotating, it in the other direction.

2,. In a starting device for gas engines, thecombination with a ratchet wheel fixed on the engine shaft and having conical ends;

of a drum comprising a cup-shapcd bod having a. hole in its bottom for said shaft the mouth of the cup and having a central hole for said shaftand a bearing face adapted to rest on the other of said ends, 2. lug cast within the rim of the body and having a threaded hole, a screw passing through the bottom of said body and screwing through said hole and having a reduced tip engaging said plate to hold the latter in adjusted position, a pawl pivoted on the body of the screw with. its tipdirected toward said teeth, nninipulating means for directii'ig the rotation of the drum in one direction, retracting means for normally rotating it in the other direction, and means to disengaging the tip of the pa w-l from said teeth when the drum is retracted.

In a starting; device for gas engines, the combimition with a ratchet wheel fixed on the engine shaft and having conical ends; of a drum comprising a cup-shaped body having a hole in its bottom tor said shaft and a hearing face adapted to rest on one of said ends, and a plate threaded into themouth of the cup and having a central hole for said shaft and a bearing face adapted to rest on the other of said ends, a lug within the body and having a threaded hole, a screw passing through the bottom of said body and screwing through said hole and havinga reduced tip engaging; said plate to hold the latter in adjusted position, a pawl pivoted on the body of the screw with its tip directed toward said teeth, manipulating means for flireeting the rotation of the drum in one (lll'QCliOll, retracting means for normally rotating it in the other direction, the bottom of said drum being provided with a radial slot, a pin on the pawl projecting through said slot. and a fixed cam outside the drum upon which said pin rides as the drum returns to its retracted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ail'ixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILBER R; DUN KEL. 

